Wanderlust
by willworkforramen
Summary: Newt finally returned with the very first print of his novel, just for her; a novel describing the many magical creatures he discovered and studied throughout the world. But now she has the chance to experience it herself, by his side.
1. Arrival

The deep roar of the ship's horn thundered in Tina's ears, jolting her awake, and she awkwardly sat up from what she slowly realized was the lap of Newt Scamander; her cheeks turned a light rose as she looked him over. He was slouched against the window, his face buried in one arm as he gently snored, clearly undisturbed by the sound. It had been a few days now of sailing across the Atlantic—maybe four? The days had started to blur together a bit at this point—and it seemed that they were finally arriving.

 _"I can't wait to read it." Tina examined the brand new, freshly printed copy of his novel in her hands, heavier than she had imagined; the gold letters shined in the light as she slightly turned it, illuminating the title, and his name._

 _"...Would you like to live it?" He proposed, daringly holding his gaze at her as she looked up. His heart palpitated as he watched her look up from the book, his book, that she held in her hands. He did not expect the glossy shine in her eyes as she met his, or the trembling smile now upon her lips._

 _"I would like that very much."_

She looked past him and out across the waters; the orange streaks of the setting sun peaked through the clouds, the ocean blue glistening, and the silhouette of the country now appeared on the horizon. She felt a flutter in her chest at the sight.

"N-Newt—hey, Newt—" She shook his shoulder with a bit more force than she originally intended, and he abruptly jerked, before hazily turning his head to her eager gaze.

He clumsily sat up in his seat, before following her eyes out across the sea, and a small smirk appeared on his face. Although he felt relieved to be finally arriving at their destination, more than anything he felt delighted at the sight of Tina's child-like wonder; her dark eyes were wider now as she watched the port growing larger in their view, and he too felt a flutter in his chest as he shyly watched her.

"Come with me." Tina backed away from the window now, standing up as she clutched her bag. Newt silently stood up as well, following her lead as she almost ran to the staircase at the end of the room, and up to the ship's deck. Without hesitation she made her way across it and to one of the guard rails, grasping it firmly as she still watched. He breathlessly caught up to her a moment later and clumsily stood beside her, taking hold of the rail in front of him. She felt as if she was flying as the open air forcefully rushed against them; she closed her eyes, the scent of salt and sea infiltrating her senses as she took a deep breath.

He did all that he could to fight the nausea that was rising in his abdomen—no matter how many dangerous situations he defeated and creatures he faced in his life, he had never been able to conquer seasickness. He closed his eyes as well as he tried to steady himself against the rail, as nearly impossible as that was when riding on the waves of the ocean.

Moments passed as Tina daydreamed, her attention lost in the captivating scene before her; she absentmindedly slid a couple of her slim fingers over Newt's hand, immediately breaking his focus from the battle with his stomach. He felt the heat rise in his face, flustered by her touch, and the only reaction he could manage was to awkwardly freeze as he stared out before them.

As soon as she realized what had happened, she withdrew her hand and grasped the rails once more.

"Uhm, Newt, I—"

"I've figured out the first place that I'd like to take you."

She turned her head to face him, as his light eyes shined against the sun. She gently smiled, holding her gaze for a moment before she turned back to the city approaching them.

* * *

By the time they arrived at the port, a calming drizzle of English rain fell from the skies; Tina stopped within a few feet of the exit as she looked around her in awe. The winding cobblestone streets spread out from where she stood in various directions, and along them stood several modest buildings; ranging from bakeries, to clothing shops, pubs, and inns. The soft yellow glow from the windows illuminated the streets like candles in the twilight.

Newt once again watched with delight as she took in everything before them, standing within a couple of feet just behind her; it had never occurred to him that the simple town that he called home since as long as he could remember could possibly mesmerize anyone, let alone someone who had been raised in such a large, bustling city like New York. He had been raised running through these streets, knowing by name every person who lived within them.

"Shall we?" He hesitantly interrupted, and she looked back and up at him. She simply nodded, her eyes creasing with her soft smile.

He led her down one of the roads before them, and they both slowly strolled as Tina curiously gazed into each passing window. She watched as a couple stood at the counter of their bakery, the husband behind the wife, as they flattened dough into the counter together; and then a blacksmith as he stood above his anvil, hammering the burning, fiery red metal placed upon it, and in another window she watched as a woman stood upon a stage in front of a small crowd, seducing the bar patrons with her sultry voice.

Eventually, their path led to a more secluded area, populated only by trees and cottages which stood upon small hills. She admired the landscape that surrounded them, untouched by modern architecture and industrialization, unlike where she was born and raised. It had been years since she saw so many towering, magnificent trees, matured for what must have been decades, or heard the sound of so many creatures, living as they were meant to, thriving in their natural habitat.

"This is beautiful, Newt." She breathed, still admiring everything around them.

He looked over to her for a moment, before he shyly looked back to the path in front of them.

"I-I'm glad you like it." He was honestly surprised at how much she was enjoying this first trip so far; he was unaccustomed to meeting others who appreciated, or even took a remote interest in the magnificence of nature the way that he did, if they even stuck around past his ramblings about his magical creatures—which was _always_ one of the first things he talked about… if not the very first.

After some time, a meadow of unruly, tall grass that looked to span for miles appeared at their right. Newt abruptly stopped in his tracks, and then Tina stopped after a few strides, once she noticed he was no longer at her side. He couldn't help the subtle smile that appeared across his lips as he first looked at the field and then back to her.

"Wait, we're going in there?" With a hint of nervousness in her voice, she scanned the wall of grass.

"It's safe." He took a step towards her, a look of gentle reassurance in his eyes. She didn't budge, as her eyes moved back and forth from his to in front of them.

"I promise." Considering everything they had experienced together prior to this trip was anything _but_ safe, she figured that walking around farmland would pale in comparison. She walked over to him, and looked up as she let out a sigh of resignation.

He smiled at her once more, feeling the excitement rise in his chest as he made his way from the road and into the meadow, and she slowly followed; with one hand she grasped at the arm of his jacket as they silently walked.

A few moments later they arrived at a clearing; spanning several feet were tufts of soft grass and clusters of flowers, as well as spots of dirt exposed from years of being treaded. At the far end was a pond, from which emanated the rough croaks of toads as they sat upon their lily pads, still as they called into the air. Tina gasped as she noticed the warm orbs that danced in the air as far as she could see; she squinted her eyes, unable to exactly make them out, but realizing their glow was too great for them to be fireflies.

"What… are those?" She stepped away from Newt and further into the clearing, her eyes fixed on a particular creature as it fluttered in the sky; she was taken by the enchantment as she observed it's delicate, graceful wings that glowed a mellow orange light. A light, playful hum could be heard in the air, which seemed to come synchronously from the creatures surrounding them. She impulsively reached out towards it, but it evaded her fingers and flew further up into the sky.

"Flitterbies." Newt finally answered, appearing right beside her as he also gazed at the magical beings.

"They're a species of moth. One of my favorites, actually."

She turned back to face him, her fascination growing with every word he spoke.

He felt a sudden rush of confidence from her interest, and he looked around for another moment before meeting her eyes.

"I've been coming here since I was a child," He started, clearing his throat as he looked down at the grass beneath him.

"…this has always been a, well, I suppose you could say, escape for me. When I wanted to be away from… everything, I came here. I've spent many nights laying in this grass, looking up at the stars, with these creatures—"

He raised his hand up above them, and a moment later a Flitterby delicately perched upon it; its luminous wings brightened the icy blue in his eyes as he affectionately looked down at his palm.

"—as my only company."

Tina could feel tears threaten to well in her eyes as she watched him, the look on his face as he invited her inside the slight glimpse of himself. She started to reach out to touch his arm, before the Flitterby suddenly fluttered away from him and playfully made its way towards her, and it perched on the tip of her nose.

They both simultaneously let out a nervous laugh, as the creature moved its wings for a few moments before it flew out into the air. A comfortable silence fell between them as they simply looked into each other's eyes, surrounded by the sounds of nature around them and the breeze that moved through the meadow.

"T-There is one more thing I would like to show you." Newt stuttered, unable to break away from her gaze. She subtly smiled, answering by gently taking his hand with hers. He felt the pink rise in his cheeks at her touch, briefly pausing before he was able to compose himself.

He turned away and started to lead her further towards the left of the clearing, and they met a wall of towering grass once more. She didn't hesitate as he led her into it and through several feet of tall, gentle grassland, gripping his hand tightly as they walked.

* * *

They reached another clearing, but this time a humble, deteriorated home and the remains of a wooden stable stood before them. Various plants had overgrown in every place accessible, vines twisting up the posts of the stable as well as the sides of the home; there was no sign of life, nor had there been, most likely, for years.

He continued to lead her, walking slowly toward the fragile wooden stables that appeared to be hanging on for dear life, collapsible by a strong enough breeze. Tina quietly observed each stall as they walked through it, traces of the hay which once provided comfort for the animals inside in each corner, before they reached the end of the structure. Newt gazed into the last one, lingering for a few moments before he spoke, but he didn't break his eyes away.

"This is where I met the first love of my life… Autumn."

Tina's expression quickly gave way to her confusion, and he nervously laughed once he looked over to her.

"She was the first Hippogriff I ever met. One of the main reasons I became a Magizoologist."

She slightly threw her head back, a quiet laugh of relief escaping from her throat as a feeling of relief washed over her. For a brief second, she thought he meant that he kept his girlfriends in horse stables. A sudden chill passed through, the darkness of the night having already cloaked over them for some time, and only now did either of them notice.

"D-Do you want to…" Newt nervously gestured towards the back door of the cottage, and Tina immediately walked past him to go inside.

With a loud, drawn out creak the door opened as he pushed it forward, and they were greeted by complete darkness. He reached inside his jacket and grabbed his wand, then waved it in the air as every lamp before them began to burn. He slowly slid his damp jacket from his shoulders and down each arm, before he lazily placed it on the side of one of the sofas in the front room.

Tina stepped inside, once again examining her surroundings as she entered, before she closed the door behind her. She also took off her jacket, placing it on top of his. The home had clearly been unoccupied for years, but still showed signs of the life it once had; in the sink sat a couple of dishes, covered in dust, but had once been covered in food that had been enjoyed; upon a wall hung a calendar, marked with elegantly written plans for the month, and two pet dishes sat upon the floor at the end of the kitchen, one for water and one for food, empty but forever waiting to be refilled for its owner.

"Is this your… your home?" Tina asked, her voice a couple of octaves higher as she felt her emotions rise within her.

"Yes. It is." Newt calmly answered, as he stood behind her once more. She leaned back into him, instinctively reaching up to touch one of the hands that rested upon her shoulder. He grasped her hand, bringing it down as he started to walk over to one of the sofas. She hesitantly followed, and they both slowly sat down.

"What happ—"

Newt tightened his grip on her hand in response, looking down at the hardwood floor, still perfectly covered by intricate pieces of oak.

"I-I don't really want to talk about…"

His voice trailed off, his head still bowed as he went quiet.

"Okay." She could feel that she was nearing his personal boundaries, and she leaned into his chest, her hand still in his. He took a deep breath, struggling to control the nervousness rising throughout his core, as he raised his other hand to rest it gently upon the top of her head. After some time of comfortable silence they naturally fell into each other, Tina's body resting against his as they laid down, and he absentmindedly began to stroke her hair. He raised his wand and also lit the long abandoned fireplace before them, and although the flame initially struggled to catch, a tiny, stable fire began to burn.

She nestled her head into his chest a bit as she watched the weak flame gradually expand, and they laid together in the comfortable warmth.

"Goodnight, Newt." Tina tiredly spoke against his chest, as she felt herself slowly drifting away to sleep.

"Goodnight, Tina."

He held her close as he started to drift into sleep as well; the scent of salt, ocean, and rain lulled him away.

* * *

 **A/N:** So here begins their travels around the world! For those who might be familiar with my other works—yes, another Newt/Tina story! Haha. I'm just so obsessed with them. I can't help it… ;(

I've had this idea in my mind for a while now but haven't had the time to start writing it until now, so I hope you like it—I'm very excited to write about their adventures meeting all of Newt's "Fantastic Beasts". :P

Thank you so, so much for taking the time to read the beginning of my story, and please let me know what you think!


	2. Charm

_The enticing scent of fried back bacon and eggs greeted Newt as his eyes slowly, tiredly opened, and he sat up on the sofa as he gazed over in the direction of the sizzling sound that filled the entire space. Vibrant sunlight glistened in streaks through the window, illuminating the counters and kitchen table, their ivory paint perfectly intact, and he took in a deep breath as his eyes adjusted to the scene before him. Everything in his view was bright and clean, looking untouched as if it existed beyond this world. He heard the gentle sound of paws on the second floor, before it moved down the stairs and appeared before him; he met the bright hazel eyes of a Border Terrier, its entire body shaking with the movement of its tail._

 _"Balfour… is that you?" He felt a mist in his eyes as the dog impatiently whined at his feet. Newt picked him up and held him in his lap, then began stroking his coarse fur. The dog could barely control himself as he jumped up on his hind legs and sniffed every inch of Newt's face, licking the tip of his nose and his ears. Newt nervously laughed, holding the dog's back as he explored._

 _"Newton, it's about time you woke up! I waited nearly an hour to start breakfast for you."_

 _He turned to the sound of a familiar feminine voice, and Balfour leaped from his lap and pattered into the kitchen. There stood an older woman, her wild, greying hair loosely tamed into a bun atop her head; her kind blue eyes creased as she looked at Newt, and a wide smile spread across her weathered lips. She wore a long, crimson knitted sweater that covered her pale dress of dusty indigo._

 _"M-Mum—"_

 _"We have to celebrate you finally coming home! I've made your favorite—the full Monty—that's still your favorite, isn't it?"_

 _He carefully stood up, keeping his eyes on his mother as he rose; he trembled as he carefully stepped closer._

 _"…But you're—"_

Newt's eyes abruptly opened to the sight of the ceiling above him; the aged wood grey and cracked throughout, weakened from years of supporting the life that once lived within the home. He blinked as he brought himself back to reality; the orange glow of the sun had only begun to subtly peak through the windows, and the house was cloaked in silence and darkness. He felt the weight of Tina's body against his, and he shifted to look down at her peaceful face; she was somewhere else, far away from this abandoned, empty house.

A subtle pink took over his cheeks as he admired her features; the way her disheveled chestnut hair framed her face in wispy pieces, contrasting with her porcelain skin, and her pale rouge, pillowy lips slightly parted as she slept. He cleared his throat, and then looked across the room to the fireplace, where weak embers still remained, glowing dimly in the shadows of early dawn. He carefully began to shift from underneath her, guiding her body to the sofa as he slid out and stood up; he took a moment to make sure he didn't wake her before he quietly walked away and walked out the back door.

As he strolled through the brittle stables and out into the front yard, he gazed into the tall grass that surrounded the home, as streaks of light began to peak through. He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes as he felt their warmth.

Tina woke to an empty room; she shot up from the sofa before her memory caught up with her, and then she let out a gentle sigh.

"Newt?" She called out into the home, but there was only silence.

Letting her curiosity get the best of her, she walked over into the kitchen; she lightly touched the dining table with her fingertips as she walked past, then looked down at the layers of dust she felt on her skin. She rubbed her fingers together, dissipating the grey as she continued carefully walking, her eyes exploring the objects of Newt's past before her.

"February 1909…" She whispered to herself as she read the calendar that still hung upon the wall, the top displaying a beautiful portrait of a winter scene, street lamps glowing along a snowy street; her interest grew as she read through the dates.

 _The third – Dinner with the Atwoods._

 _The eleventh – Write to Martha. Don't forget this time._

 _The twenty-second – Newt comes home._

Her gaze stopped as she fixed on his name, written in elegant cursive on the calendar. She touched it delicately, feeling the slightly raised ink against the paper.

"I-I hope I didn't wake—"

Tina turned around and her eyes landed on Newt, who stood halfway through the back door, pausing as he gazed at her with curiosity; she quickly stepped away from the calendar and towards him, a gentle smile appearing across her lips.

"Oh, no, you didn't. Don't worry."

Newt still looked past her to the wall, an unsettling feeling of insecurity rising within him; it had been years since he so much as visited, let alone spent any real time within the home, and the longer he stayed there the more he felt his memories start to loom over him, crawl towards him from behind with everything he had ran from years ago.

He cleared his throat and shifted his eyes to meet hers, warm and inviting as the sunlight shone against the rich blends of hickory within them. He could feel a soothing calm wash over him like a spell as he stared.

"So what _fantastic beast_ shall I meet today, Mr. Scamander?" Tina inquired playfully, the corners of her eyes creasing as she looked up at him.

"A Norwegian Ridgeback? A Romanian Longhorn?"

Newt nervously chuckled, raising his hand to the back of his head as he looked down at the floor.

"I-I'm not quite sure you're ready for that just yet," he paused, realizing that he hadn't even planned where they were going next.

"How about we have breakfast first?"

* * *

Tina gazed outside as they sat inside a petite café near the port where they had arrived; _Needle & Thread Café, since 1556, _the sign bragged. The rain tapped lightly against the window as she daydreamed, stranger watching as she observed the surprisingly busy town, despite its relatively small size—especially compared to the massive city she was accustomed to.

"Y-You don't like it?" Newt inquired as he swallowed a bite of food, and he glanced from his nearly empty plate over to hers, which had barely been touched.

She blinked as she turned her head, and then looked down at her plate.

"Oh, no! It's great. I'm guess I'm just not used to all of this… I uhm, typically just grab a muffin or something, and go."

His eyes widened a bit at her answer, as if she had just blasphemed Merlin himself.

"Have you never heard the phrase, _'Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper'_?"

"I haven't." She gently laughed, looking across the table at him now.

"Well, you'll be having a proper breakfast every morning, once you live here wit—"

Scarlet seared through Newt's cheeks once he realized what he was saying, and Tina couldn't help the pink that rose to hers; then the conversation immediately turned into a fumbling mess of words between the two.

"I-I meant that—"

"Newt, how do you—"

"Not that I d-don't want—"

"But what if—"

" _Newton Scamander_."

A raspy voice broke through the awkward exchange, and they both turned to see an elderly man standing beside the table; he held himself up with a cane, his hand trembling as he grasped it, and his stature was frail, but his expression cheerful.

Newt smiled shyly at the man, and nodded at him. "Mr. Ly—"

"How's the man? It's been years since I've seen ye 'round here."

Newt stood up and quickly pulled a chair to the table for him to sit in, but he waved it away with his hand.

"Digging my grave already? I'm fine."

"A-Ah, yes, of course," Newt nervously sat back down at the table. "I'm well, erm, I-I just published a novel, actually."

"About those beasts of yours?"

"Yes, that's part of the reason I was gone so long, I've been seeing a lot more, all over the world."

"Nice of ye to bring a copy." He teasingly joked, before he slowly shifted his body to look down at Tina, who quietly sat across from Newt, politely observing as they spoke.

"Brian Lynch." He introduced himself, extending his free hand towards her, and looking straight into her eyes.

"Tina Goldstein. It's very nice to meet you." She flashed a charming smile as they shook hands.

Mr. Lynch raised his eyebrows and turned his head back to Newt across the table, with a sly smirk in his direction. Newt looked away, a rose color rising to his cheeks once again, as he looked away and out the window.

"Well, since you're here, Mr. Magizoologist, mind helping me with a problem back at the house?"

"A problem?"

"Many problems, actually. Imps. They've infested my garden. I keep dumping water on 'em when I head on to do the washing, but they keep coming back and stealing my vegetables."

"I could imagine they wouldn't respond too kindly to water being poured on them." Newt now raised his brow at Mr. Lynch, who lazily shrugged. He then looked across the table to Tina, who gave him an encouraging nod.

"W-Well… they aren't quite as exciting as dragons," he said with a subtle smile, "But you've got your next fantastic beasts."

* * *

Mr. Lynch's home was similar to Newt's, placed within a large plot of a land but modest in structure; however, it differed in its liveliness and energy. Even from the outside one could tell the house was well kept up with, with vibrant plants growing in consciously chosen places, and rows of fresh crops expanding out from each side. The cottage was made entirely of different tones of grey stone, and from what could be seen was made up of only a few rooms; farther back to the right stood a barn made up of a dark, Oxford blue painted wood.

"They're o'er here." The elderly man carefully made his way to the left of the cottage, and they patiently followed.

On the side of the cottage was a small vegetable garden, presumably for Mr. Lynch's own personal use instead of to sell in town. They stood before it for a moment, waiting for any sign of the creatures to appear.

"Maybe they—" Newt started, before he felt a tomato smash into his shoulder, and a devilish cackle came from the back of the garden.

"There they are." Mr. Lynch responded, and started to make his way around the cottage. "You can deal with 'em—I'll wet the tea."

Another tomato leaped through the air towards Newt, but he quickly stepped away from it. Tina instinctively grasped his arm, a light gasp escaping her lips.

"I would just like to speak with you." He moved from her grasp and cautiously walked to the garden and then a few steps through it, glancing down carefully as he stepped to avoid crushing any of the vegetables. Tina anxiously watched, only walking as far as to the edge.

A taupe-skinned miniature creature appeared, peaking from behind a pumpkin with curiosity. It's elongated ears raised and it's large, yellowed eyes narrowed at them both with skepticism.

"It's alright… I just—" Another vegetable was lunged towards him, which he managed to duck just in time to avoid hitting his face. Newt instantly pulled his wand out from his jacket, and aimed it towards the imp.

"Flipendo!"

It avoided his jinx and let out a menacing hiss; he braced himself as three more imps appeared from behind the plants, and they then began to throw whatever they could reach at him.

"Wait—" Tina desperately looked around for anything that could help the situation, but all that she could find was the beds of Narcissus flowers that lined the cottage. She ran over and clutched a handful of them, and the hurried over into the garden.

"H-Hey! U-Uhm, here!" She awkwardly called to the creatures. Their eyes all shot straight to her, and watched as she timidly knelt down as much as she could to their level beside Newt.

"Do you like these?" She watched as their eyes widened at the sight of the flowers, the bright white petals encompassing the center of orange and yellow, perfect from the tedious care of Mr. Lynch; they inched towards her, their eyes still narrowed in suspicion, but they each one-by-one plucked a flower from her hands.

They huddled together muttering between themselves with their flowers, which they struggled to hold due to the plants being nearly as tall as them, before shyly looking back to Tina.

"I-I hope you don't mind, but, Mr. Lynch needs his vegetables," she awkwardly spoke once again as she watched them. "So—"

Before she could finish, they muttered to each other once more before they began to walk away, towards the woods behind the cottage. One of the imps turned around, sticking it's tongue out at Newt, before it continued with the others.

"That was a lot easier than I expected…" She breathed, her anxiety finally calming as she watched the imps disappear in the distance.

Newt simply stared at her in disbelief.

"The tea is ready if—" Mr. Lynch appeared behind them, and he glanced around the garden.

"They're gone already?"

Both Newt and Tina looked back to him; Newt still with a bewildered look on his face, and Tina with a satisfied smile.

* * *

"So you… just gave them flowers?" Mr. Lynch asked for the third time as the three of them sat at his kitchen table, each with a cup of hot tea in their hand.

"Well, to be honest Mr. Lynch, I was hoping to find a shovel to chase them away with," She started, and they both chuckled. "But your flowers were all I saw, so I tried it."

The elderly man shook his head with a smirk upon his face, and took another sip of tea before he set his cup down on the table.

"Well, it's time for me to head on for a nap. Help yourself to whatever you'd like. Thank you both… for your help." He weakly stood up from the table as he finished his sentence, clutching the edge as he straightened himself. Tina was tempted to help him, but knew better from his reaction in the café that morning.

"An old man like me could use as much as he can get. See ye in the morning." Mr. Lynch carefully walked away from the table, cane in hand, and then made a right past the doorway to his bedroom.

A sudden silence fell between them once his door closed. Tina took another sip of her tea as she glanced to Newt, expressionless as he silently stared off into the distance. She bit her lip and stared down into the darkness within her cup.

"Is something wrong, Newt? Did I upset you?"

He broke from his trance and his eyes snapped to hers, with his head following to face her across the table. His brow furrowed and he took a sip of tea as well, his mind racing to articulate exactly what he wanted to say, instead of the awkward jumble of words that tended to come out.

"N-No, Tina, not at all—quite the contrary, actually." He cleared his throat, giving himself another moment to get his thoughts together.

"I've never seen someone… _charm_ an imp before. In all my years of studying, I have never seen one react that way to anyone—not even me, and I-I… I say this in the humblest way I can, but I know how to handle magical creatures."

She giggled, her gaze still upon Newt as she placed her elbow upon the table, and rested her chin in her hand.

"Well, I suppose I'm just _that_ charming." She sarcastically quipped, offering Newt a playful smirk.

"…That you are." He retorted. _Unbelievably, enchantingly so._ He rose the cup to his lips once more, finishing the rest of his tea.

* * *

 **A/N:** I apologize for taking a bit longer than usual to update! I played around with a few different directions to take this story next, rewriting a couple of times until I figured it out. Also, I just started working part-time on top of preparing to start my final semester in college, so that has been eating up my time as well (damn those responsibilities!)

Thank you all SO much for the feedback—it means the world to me, and encourages me more than you know! I'm so excited that you're enjoying the story so far, and I hope you liked this chapter as well. :)

Please let me know your thoughts, and thank you for reading!


	3. Reminder

Tina Goldstein was a practical, career-minded, and focused woman. She had learned through the years of not only raising herself but her younger sister, Queenie, and putting herself through school and making her way as an Auror of MACUSA, that time not spent working towards a substantial goal was time wasted. There was always something she should be improving, a goal she should be setting, or another dollar to be made; not in a selfish way, but to survive. For the majority of her childhood and young adult years, that was all she allowed herself to focus on: Survival.

Those times had passed. Her sister Queenie had been promoted through the ranks of MACUSA and was now an Auror, with a child on the way with her fiancé, Jacob, who moved into their apartment months ago. Although Tina still found satisfaction in her work and in her friendships back home, she had been floundering in search of a purpose, no longer having the pressures she had for almost two decades. When Newt arrived with his novel in hand, a year's worth of letters between England and the United States later, she knew that a fresh chapter in her life was about to begin. As they stepped onto the ship only a week or so ago, she felt a flutter in her chest at the excitement, conflicted with an ache as she left her home for the first time.

What she didn't anticipate was the feeling of all of these concerns, all of these worries about the meaning of her life melting away as she sat on the porch of an Irish farmhouse, a cup of freshly brewed tea in hand, and a lovingly knitted throw blanket wrapped around her. What does a promotion matter, compared to the sound of birds chirping in the trees in the early hours of dawn? What does a title provide, compared to the feeling of a warm cup of tea in her hands, a home-cooked meal in her stomach, and the glistening greeting from the sun across the fields?

"Mornin', Miss Goldstein." Mr. Lynch stepped through the front door and out onto the porch, a cup of tea in his hands as well. He carefully walked past and to the other chair beside her, grasping the wooden rail as he shuffled over. With a soft grunt he sat down and gazed out across his fields with her, and took a sip from his cup.

"Good morning. Mr. Lynch." She looked over to him and gently smiled, before turning her head back to the scenery before them.

"I didn't expect either of ye to be up this early, with all the gigglin' I heard through the night, but thanks for wetting the tea and making some toast and eggs for me."

Tina looked down to her chest with embarrassment. The elderly man chuckled at her reaction, and shook his head.

"Don't worry. I remember those days. Believe it or not, I got a woman to marry me—and stay with me, too. We built everything ye see here."

She looked to Mr. Lynch again, her eyes softening as she watched his expression; he subtly smiled as he still gazed ahead to the sunlight that illuminated his chestnut colored eyes as he spoke.

"She knitted that blanket your wearin', actually. I—"

"Oh—" Tina gasped, and started shuffling to remove it from her body, suddenly feeling intrusive.

"No, no. It was made to be used. Just try not to get any tea on it."

She nervously laughed, and then nodded before she, now extra carefully, took a sip from her cup.

"You remind me of 'er a bit. You seem like you got your wits about you, and you seem like a nice lady. Just have some patience with the boy."

Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Well, see, he's a lot like me when I was young. I wasn't the easiest to approach, I was a bit of an awkward lad at times. I've known him since he was a little one. He's got a good heart."

She cleared her throat, looking down to the weathered, greying wood beneath them for a moment.

"…Do you know what happened in—"

The door opened and out of it stepped Newt, also with a cup in hand, squinting at the sunrise before he rose his hand to shield his eyes.

"Nice of ye to join us, Newton." Mr. Lynch abruptly looked up past Tina, and she followed his eyes to Newt, who tiredly shifted over towards the porch railing and then leaned against it.

"G-Good morning." Newt lazily looked down into his cup, waiting for his eyes to adjust from slumber. After a few moments he slowly lifted his head and his eyes landed on Tina, snugly wrapped in a blanket and grasping her cup.

She could feel the weight of Newt's gaze upon her, and she looked up to him; his messy, tousled hair fell around his face in shadows against the light behind him, and his eyes, despite their tiredness, had a gentle glow with shades of blue. He offered her a shy, boyish smile, not saying a word as their eyes locked; she couldn't help the smile that crept up on her face in return, tight-lipped and shy as well.

Mr. Lynch glanced between the two as he sipped his tea, then turned his head and chuckled once again.

* * *

Newt and Tina spent the hours of the early morning with Mr. Lynch, enjoying their tea and modest breakfast Tina had prepared as the sun rose, before they said their goodbyes. Mr. Lynch had offered for Tina to take the knitted throw with her, but she politely declined. _She'd like you to have it. How are you going to say no to an old man?_ Although he made her reluctantly promise to take it when they next visited. _You tell Newton that both of ye better visit again soon. You'll be wishing you brought this with._

They first traveled back to England, but quickly passed through to take a train to Scotland; _I'd like to introduce you to one of my dearest friends, one of the best people you'll ever meet,_ Newt gushed.

The train arrived in Perthshire, just some miles south outside the burgh of Pitlochry; the stop was surrounded by expansive natural beauty of the Highlands, with rolling high hills and rivers that flowed between them. She took a deep breath as her eyes roamed the landscape, having only seen a glimpse of everything before her in pictures and film; she now realized just how little they actually captured.

Newt stepped beside her from the train and took a moment to absorb the sight as well; it had been some time, since a few years after leaving Hogwarts, that he had been in the Highlands. He slid his fingers between hers as they gazed, a gentle breeze flowing between them, and the train slowly pulled away behind them, clunking and steaming loudly as it moved forward.

"Newt, am I dreaming?" Tina breathed, tightening her hold on his hand; he gently smiled, having no response but to join her in her awe, as they both admired the vibrant grasslands that spanned as far as their eyes could see. Her eyes cast down to a farm below, and her thoughts immediately went to the tranquility she felt that morning; watching the Earth wake up as she sat on the porch, a cup of tea in hand, a blanket around her, and nothing in the world on her mind but the scene before her.

"I like your idea. I'd like a _proper_ breakfast, every morning—I'd also like to see this. Every morning."

His face flushed a subtle rouge, and as much as he wanted to, he couldn't bare looking into her eyes at that moment. With his thumb he softly caressed the back of her hand, and he cleared his throat.

"I-I think that could be arranged."

* * *

They took a bus from the station directly to Pitlochry, and the town in many ways reminded Tina of Newt's hometown back in England, only much busier and much more catered to tourists; instead of consisting of mainly family-owned pubs and other businesses, there were also a fair amount of inns for travelers and tourist shops, as well as a couple of theatres and other establishments for larger entertainment. On each side of the two stood large buildings made of stone, looking as though they almost touched the sky, housing the business and the people who owned them above, and trams passed through the busy street along the side. Despite the increase of people and towering structures that stood before them, it felt much more intimate than the industrialization and coldness of New York City; something she had realized she wanted to get as far away from as possible.

As they walked down and then made their way down several through the side streets, Newt told her stories of the times he had spent in the city; on many occasions he visited a cousin who lived there, who was about ten years his senior and wise and knowledgeable beyond his years. He would visit and share his findings on magical creatures with his cousin, and they would discuss not only that, but anything and everything; from the planet itself, to history of the magical world, different types of magic and spells, and sometimes, he would even train Newt in dueling. The first time he had stepped foot in a pub and took his first sip of ale was in this town, as well as the first time he (forcibly, by his cousin) attempted to flirt with a girl.

Tina's laugh grew louder and more frequent as the stories were told, and she felt a warmth growing between them as she learned more about the mysterious Newt Scamander; their arms were now linked as they strolled, having traveled through the immediate tourist area of Pitlochry and into a more impoverished part of town. The buildings beside them had shortened significantly and were made up of mostly homes, with the occasional barber, pub, or bakery. The crowds had also thinned considerably, although the community they now were in was still alive with people; not tourists looking for gifts or the most popular theatre, but instead, mothers bargaining for groceries at carts along the street, paperboys at each corner calling out into the air, and patrons having a cigarette by the door of the pubs.

"I feel like I've said this about ten times on our trip so far, but I really think I could stay here forever." Tina spoke out into the air as she gazed around the neighborhood, taking in the scent of baked bread that flowed around them.

"Well, wait until you see Japan. I've been tempted many times to stay there and never look back."

Tina's eyes widened as she abruptly turned to Newt, who still nonchalantly looked about the street.

"…Japan? Newt, we're going to _Japan_?" She nearly choked on the word. He then turned his head to face her as well, and couldn't help thinking how adorable she looked, like a child being told they were going to the carnival.

"Y-You said you wanted to see all of the creatures… We couldn't possibly miss it. There are demiguises, kappas…" He was distracted again by the look on her face, her eyes glistening more with excitement with each word he spoke, and he couldn't help the gentle laugh that came up from his chest.

Suddenly, a custard colored ball of fluff hurriedly bounced across their feet, letting out a warning squeak as it passed. Tina gasped, stepping back to avoid it, and then watched as it bounced away into the yard beside them. Hundreds of feet from the sidewalk stood a large, multi-storied brick building, made up of several rows and columns of windows; from the broad, deep oak doors at the center extended a circular walkway of stone, its opposite end meeting the pavement they stood upon. Within the circle played a large group of children, their screams and laughter filling the air as they chased each other and wrestled in the grass.

"He's back!" One of the children cried out, and he and most of the other children outside immediately ran over to the creature; a little girl who looked to be about five years old fell right onto it with a tight hug, and the others kneeled down into the grass around it and stroked its fur.

"What on earth?" Tina wondered aloud, watching as the children pet the furry beast.

"T-That's a… a Puffskein." There was a sudden nervousness in Newt's voice, even more than the usual, as much as he attempted to mask it. This prompted Tina to look up at him, and he continued watching the children in the courtyard, despite the ache that now grew within his chest with each passing second.

"It's very cute. I wish I would have had one as a child." She commented, a tender smile spreading across her lips as she watched.

"Yes, they are… very popular pets. I-I briefly had one." He cleared his throat, fighting the emotions that were threatening to spill out from inside.

"They're attracted to these places. Nothing seems to make them happier than being loved by lonely children."

Tina's brow furrowed, and as much as she wanted to look back to him again she was afraid to, attempting to tread carefully as not to disrupt the delicate balance of the conversation. As her eyes roamed the yard it finally clicked—this wasn't a school or a daycare, it was an orphanage; how could she have not noticed that before? She felt her heart sink in her chest at the thought of Newt being one of those children; but how could he be? All of the stories he told her of his home, his mother—

 _The twenty-second – Newt comes home._

Her mind flashed back to the calendar on the wall of the kitchen, and she felt a leap in her stomach.

"Newt… do you mean that—"

Her words were halted by another Puffskein that now plopped down directly in front of her; its large teal eyes stared directly into hers, and a low humming sound emanated from its spherical, fur-covered yellow body.

"Oh—" She gasped, looking into its eyes for a moment before she cautiously bent down. With subtly trembling hands she reached to the side of it, and then began petting its soft fur; it squeaked with delight at her touch, and she let out a nervous giggle. Within a few moments the children now joined her at the sidewalk and surrounded her and the creature, tiny hands reaching for any spot on its body to pet.

She slowly stood back up, and the children immediately filled her place. She felt a mist in her eyes as she watched them for a moment, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jacket.

"C-Can we bring you something? Would you like some food? Maybe some cake?" She clumsily asked, feeling a sudden wave of guilt wash over her as she watched them; how could she come here, enjoy the culture and beauty as a casual tourist, and ignore these children?

One of the them turned to her, a young boy with cropped brown hair and bright blue eyes, with a light smudge of dirt on the tip of his nose, and a quizzical expression spread across his face.

"We, ma'am?"

"Well yes, my friend Mr. Scamander and…" Tina turned her body to face an empty street; her eyes darted around, searching for any sign of Newt. She could feel her heart start to pound in her chest as she slowly stepped away, squinting her eyes as desperation started to rise in her chest. The street was barren, as the sun was now beginning to set, and the families in the houses surrounding the orphanage had retreated into their homes.

"N-Newt?" She called out, her voice breaking and his name nearly catching in her throat.

There was no response.

* * *

A/N: Hello everyone! The tension builds… Poor Tina, huh? :( I'm having a lot of fun building up their pasts and bringing them slowly together, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I'm enjoying writing it. I did a decent amount of research on Scotland and Highland Perthshire while writing this chapter, so I hope that nothing came off inaccurate (sadly, I haven't been there yet!) but please let me know of any errors. I hope you liked this chapter, and please lend me your thoughts! :)


	4. Disarm

Newt hadn't been as careful as he usually was when apparating, his only concern being that he got away from that place, the children, the nausea he began to feel in his stomach; luckily, or unluckily, he wasn't sure yet, he arrived within only some miles of the orphanage, but far away enough to feel his escape was successful. A grunt escaped from his throat as he fell back against the brick wall of a pub in downtown Pitlochry, cloaked in the shadows of the alleyway beside it, and he struggled to steady his breathing as he heard the drunken chatter of patrons standing outside only around the corner. The scent of burning tobacco and frying fish that flowed directly towards him filled his senses, and his stomach loudly grumbled in response; with one hand he lightly touched his abdomen, realizing he hadn't eaten since they arrived. _And neither had Tina._ He closed his eyes, desperately fighting the guilt that was clawing out from his chest.

It was very unlike him to act so impulsive, to have such little control over his own emotions—but that was an art he had practiced without being surrounded by… well, _everything_. He had severely overestimated his ability to return home; to see the ghosts that haunted the house of his childhood and hometown, or even face any slight reminder of what he had ran from. He felt stripped, he felt threatened; and although it was in no way Tina's fault, he couldn't bear the thought of her tearing his walls down even more, exposing him completely. He needed to feel unfamiliar again.

"Rough night?" A tall, lanky man had appeared beside Newt, dressed in a charcoal colored vest that covered his white shirt underneath and a pair of black trousers; his dark eyes looked ahead to the adjacent brick wall only within some feet in front of them as he took a long drag of the cigarette, which he held steadily to his lips beneath his moustache.

Newt paused for a moment, looking down at the ground, a bit startled by the unexpected company.

"Y-You could say that." He mumbled as he put his hands in the pockets of his jacket, the chill in the air growing stronger with the setting sun.

"The missus piss ye off?" The man glanced over to Newt, a slight smirk across his face as he pulled the cigarette from his lips.

"Quite the contrary." He responded shortly, and his face tightened as he held his gaze to the pavement. The man furrowed his brow at Newt curiously, studying him now.

"Fancy a fag?" He reached into his pockets and began to fumble around as he searched for one.

"No, that's quite alright, thank you."

"Fancy a pint?"

Newt looked up to the man who stood beside him, who raised an eyebrow back, taking a final drag of his cigarette before he flicked it to the ground in front of them. Well, that was one way he could try to forget.

"Sure. Thanks."

He nodded at Newt's response, and they both walked towards the door and inside. They found their seats at the bar, and the man gestured to the bartender for a refill and one for Newt. He cleared his throat, awkwardly looking down at the bar top for a moment, before he spoke.

"Might I ask… why the generosity?"

The man chuckled as the bartender returned with two pints, and he slid one over to Newt.

"To be honest, ye looked a little pathetic there in the alley, so I figured I'd help a lad out."

"Ah." Newt raised his brow, looking down at the mug that now stood before him.

"So, I figured ye could use a drink. Once you've had one or two, ye ought te go back to 'er, though. I learned that the hard way more than once."

Newt pursed his lips and picked up the mug before him, before taking an excessive gulp of the ale.

"Easy mate, it's not goin' anywhere." His newfound friend laughed. However, as much as he knew better, there was not a single fiber of his being that was interested in self-control.

* * *

Tina had begun her search down the desolate streets, looking in each direction for any sign of Newt; she had given up calling out his name, realizing he wasn't going to randomly appear like a lost puppy—though he might run away like one. She had only a faint idea of where she was or what direction she was heading in, and her surroundings became increasingly unfamiliar as the skies darkened. She bit her lip as she walked, fighting the tears that stung her eyes, brought on by a mixture of nervousness, frustration, and anger. She gazed into the windows of each home, bakery, pub, and any other building that came into view as she walked, her frustration only intensifying with each passing minute.

How could he be so unfathomably inconsiderate? How could he leave her in the middle of an unfamiliar town—unfamiliar country—no, unfamiliar _continent_ like this? She huffed, stuffing her hands under her arms as a chill slowly creeped into the atmosphere. _That's what you get for getting too comfortable._ Her subconscious reminded her. _Go home. Go back to MACUSA. Focus on your work._

She cursed under her breath as she stood at the corner of a stoplight, having finally reached the outskirts of the downtown area of Pitlochry. She unwittingly tapped her feet against the pavement, impatiently watching the bright red which glowed from the lamp above her as the sound of drunken laughter filled the air from a distance. As she walked across the intersection she gazed into the bright glowing windows of the pub on the corner; she could have certainly used a glass or two of something strong in that moment, but she didn't want to spend another minute alone in that town. She shamelessly stranger-watched as she passed, finding brief entertainment as she observed the shenanigans going on inside—until her eyes landed upon a head of tousled light brown hair, and the back of a cobalt blue jacket.

"Newt?" She wondered aloud as stepped up to the window, narrowing her eyes as she watched the man; he threw his head back in laughter as he chatted, and talked with his hands as he told a story. _Please don't be Newt._ The man finished his story, and the two both broke out in laughter again. She watched with anxiety as he turned slightly in his chair to grab a pint on the bar; and there was his face, his boyish freckles, and bright azure eyes she had spent the past days gazing in. A smirk was spread across his lips as he took a swig from the pint, and then turned back around to continue his conversation.

She bit her lip, feeling the tears well up in her eyes again; one finally broke past the barrier and slowly painted a damp line down her cheek, which stung from the cold wind. She promptly turned from the window and angrily walked away, barely able to believe what she had just seen; that's what he was too busy doing? That's what was more important? _Getting drunk?_ Who was this man she sailed across the ocean with? Who was this man she had spent these days and nights with, wrote letters to for the past year, counting down the days until she saw him again?

"Everything alright?" Tina snapped her head to meet the curious eyes of an old woman, wrapped in several layers and a broom in her hand, standing in front of a closed shop. In her rage she hadn't even noticed she walked past her; she felt a tinge of guilt, seeing she was closing her shop up so late and alone.

"O-Oh, yes. I'm sorry." She quickly wiped at her cheek and underneath her eyes. "Do you need… help?"

The woman smiled and shook her head, looking down at the ground as she swept.

"But I think you might, dear. Come in, I have some tea on the stove."

"No, thank you—I appreciate it, I really do, but… I have to get home." Tina shuffled anxiously, not wanting to delay it any longer than she had to; she had already made up her mind that she needed to go back to her life, to what she knew. As much as she could use to have someone to talk to in this moment and let her feelings spill out over a warm cup of tea, she needed to start building her guard back up—and the only way that would happen is if she left as soon as possible. The woman frowned, gazing at her for moment, but quickly resigned with a nod.

"D-Do you happen to know where the nearest bus stop is? To get back to the train station?" Her voice broke with sadness as she spoke, and she clenched her jaw to fight it.

"Just a few streets down that way," The elderly woman pointed west. "then you turn left at the theatre, and it should only be another mile down."

With as much effort as she could manage, Tina politely smiled. "Thank you."

"Good luck, dear." She worriedly watched as Tina walked away, then hesitantly returned to sweeping the ground.

* * *

Newt gazed into the dark, now lifeless courtyard as he stood at the sidewalk; no children, no Puffskeins, and certainly no Tina was to be found. He wasn't sure how much time he had actually spent at the pub, but he realized it had been longer than he thought, judging by the complete silence surrounding him and the deep blue-black of the sky above, lit only by the vivid moon. He let out a regretful sigh and looked down at his feet, feeling like a complete fool. _Did you really expect her to just be waiting here?_ He bit his lip, and not knowing what else there was to do, began walking down the sidewalk to find an inn for the night.

He would write her first thing in the morning. Mr. Lynch, too—perhaps she would stop there before she went back home. Not that he should expect anything in return, and he wouldn't blame her if she didn't bother; who would? Another sigh escaped his lips into the chill air as he looked to the ground as he walked, his mind replaying every single mistake he had made that evening; beginning with when he thought the best decision was to leave her alone in the middle of Pitlochry, and continuing with every minute he didn't immediately go back.

"She's at the train station." A fragile, feminine voice entered the air, breaking his thoughts; he turned towards the source, an old woman who sat on the steps of the front porch of a house, clutching a cup of tea.

"What?" Newt blinked, and stopped in his tracks as he looked over at her.

"H-How do you—"

"Ye just missed her. Well, I shouldn't say _just_ , you've had a couple of hours to come back here." She raised a brow at him, before taking a sip from her cup.

"W-Was she searching for me?" Newt felt the guilt ache even deeper in his chest like a blade, and he stepped closer towards her.

"The train will be there in about twenty minutes." The woman chose to ignore his question.

"I wouldn't walk." She winked, and then shakily began to stand up from the steps. She grasped the railing of the stairs as she made her way slowly up them, and once she reached the porch, she looked back at Newt.

"I-I, erm…" He stuttered, unable to form a coherent response.

"Go on, then."

Newt cleared his throat, watching the old woman for another moment, and then apparated to the station.

* * *

Gentle, quiet rain fell from the skies, delicately tapping on the roof above her as she nervously, yet somewhat eagerly waited for the train back to England to arrive, as she stood alone at the edge of the platform. It felt as if her entire self was split in two, one half yearning for home and the security of the life she had established, and the other attached to the adventure she had barely started; only hours ago she had been dreaming of their— _her,_ she now corrected—farmhouse in the Highlands, where she could live without the pressures of home, or the fear of disappointing herself, her sister, her parents. That dream felt so naïve and unreachable now, and the process of resigning herself to reality was already in motion.

Newt appeared only several feet behind her, and she jumped at his arrival; she started to turn towards him, but quickly turned back around once she realized who it was. He swallowed, his heartbeat quickening as he stared at her back. Her hair was damp and tangled from the rain, her jacket wet as well, and she stood with a defensive posture. He started to step towards her, his hand extending to touch her but he stopped midstride; she didn't so much as flinch.

"Thank you for everything, Newt," She spoke into the air, doing all she could to mask the trembling in her voice. "But it's time for me to go home."

His eyes softened and he pursed his lips, his mind racing with everything he wanted to say to her.

"T-Tina, please let me ex—"

"I don't need an explanation. I understand all that I need to." The words came out harsher than she intended, but she felt that was the only way she could stick to her resolve.

With a trembling hand he now walked forward and subtly touched the arm of her jacket, closing his eyes as he stood directly behind her, and it took everything within him not to wrap his arms around her waist and hold her. She tightly closed her eyes, desperately doing all that she could not to cave to his touch.

"Do… do you think you're the only one who hurts, Newt? Do you think you're the only one with a painful past?"

He breathed in deeply and lowered his head towards the ground. The roaring sound of the train nearing could be heard, its light shining from the distance; they both looked over, their eyes brightening as it approached.

"I-I wasn't thinking. I was just… I had to…"

"I have a past too, and I understand that it's hard. It's terrifying. But I can't play these games with you, I can't be afraid you'll abandon me every time it becomes too much, w-without even knowing why…"

She shrunk down a bit, wrapping her arms around herself as she stifled a cry; he immediately placed both hands on her arms, pulling her in and holding her back up to his chest. She looked up to the roof of the station, closing her eyes for a moment to keep the tears from flowing.

"You brought me here. If… If you aren't ready, that's okay. But I need to take care of myself, too."

She pulled away from his grasp and bent down to pick up her suitcase off the ground. Newt's eyes widened as she stepped towards the edge, and the train then slowed as it approached the station. He watched as it halted, and the doors abruptly opened in front of her; she turned to face him, a pained look in her eyes as they met his.

"Tina…" He said under his breath, but she turned back around to face the train. She hesitated briefly, gazing into the empty cabin. _It's time to go home._ Her subconscious reminded her, and she closed her eyes as she stepped up into the train.

The final warning horn blared into the air, startling Newt, but prompting him to finally take action. He rushed over to the open door, reached in and grabbed her hand; she quickly turned around, her eyes narrowed with confusion.

"Newt, what are you—"

"Please don't. Not yet." He pleaded, gazing up into her eyes from the platform. "I-I promise, I'll—"

"Ma'am, we have to close the doors." One of the crew members now stood behind her, an annoyed expression on his face as he watched the two of them.

"We can talk about this another time." Tina nervously glanced between the employee and Newt as she tried to tug her hand away.

"I can't." Newt replied stubbornly, tightening his hold. The train then slowly began to pull away, and the crew member reached for their hands.

"We have to close the doors, now!" He insisted sternly, attempting to pry Newt's hand off of hers.

"Tina, please!" Newt shouted over the sound of the train's engine, walking in pace as it moved; Tina stared at him as if he had completely lost his mind, speechless, as the train was picking up speed.

"I'm closing the doors!" The employee shouted, running over to the other side of the cabin.

"Please let go!" Tina was now the one pleading, snapping her head back at the crew member and then to Newt; he held his grip on her hand, almost jogging now to keep up with the train. She looked over past them, seeing the end of the platform nearing.

 _Damn it, Newt!_ She closed her eyes and leapt forward from the cabin, falling directly into his arms, and they both stumbled back several steps, landing only within a few feet of the edge of the station.

They both struggled to catch their breath as the train pulled away and went off into the distance, his arms still tightly wrapped around her; her heart was beating out of her chest, her eyes closed as she slowly realized she had in fact survived.

"What is wrong with you?!" Tina pulled away from his arms, her voice hoarse as she shouted, staring at him with infuriated disbelief. Newt stood there awkwardly, staring straight back at her, unsure how he could possibly attempt to justify his actions.

"You could have killed yourself! You could have killed us both! You could have—"

"I couldn't let you leave."

Her mouth hung open slightly as she silently stared at the man before her, the confliction she was feeling evident in her eyes; she crossed her arms at her chest and deeply sighed.

"I don't understand you." Her voice trembled as she looked down at the ground.

"You leave me all alone in the middle of a foreign city, to go _drink_ —then you force me off of a train—"

"I did _what_?" Newt's brow furrowed, and he took a step toward her.

"I saw you, okay? I saw you at the bar. Newt, I just wish you would have told me—"

"You have it all wrong." There was a sternness in his voice she had never heard before, and her head snapped up to see him only within a couple of feet of her.

"I made a very poor decision tonight. More than one, actually. But it had nothing to do with wanting to get away from you. That's not what I want. I would never want that."

Her lips trembled as she struggled to speak, but she was unable to make a sound. His eyes softened as he looked at her, and he delicately reached out and cupped her cheek; she took a deep breath at his touch.

"That's not going to happen again. You don't have to believe me right now, but just please… stay." His voice was softer now, as well as his eyes; Tina quietly nodded, as a small, affectionate smile started to appear across her lips.

"Okay. I'll stay." She breathed, and reached up to his hand which held her face.

Without hesitation, Newt promptly leaned towards her and tenderly pressed his lips against hers, sliding his hand away from her cheek and pulling her into a tight embrace; she eagerly reciprocated, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her lips invitingly parted and he delved inside her mouth; she felt all of the anger and confusion within her dissolve as their mouths rhythmically moved together, hungrily tasting what they both had been craving since the day he left New York.

Newt broke away and gasped for air, eyes closed and pressing his forehead against hers as he tried to compose himself; she smiled, feeling a warmth radiate from her chest as the feeling of his kiss still lingered on her lips. This was the man she had been writing letters to for the past year, the one she had anxiously imagined meeting again, sailed across the ocean with—the one she had started this incredible journey with.

The brilliant, awkward, frustrating, _very_ confusing, but the only, Newt Scamander.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hey everyone! So this one was a bit longer than previous chapters—there was so much I wanted to fit in! I love first kisses. :P Anyway, thank you for the feedback so far! I'm excited about this story, and I'm so glad you're enjoying it. Let me know what you think of this chapter! :)


	5. Homecoming

A brick road lined with charming little thatched cottages and shops on each side spread out before her, their windows bright with various items for sale; the leaves, which had only begun to fall with the beginning of autumn, were littered on the ground and drenched from the overnight rain. A hint of a saccharine scent was in the air, which Tina deduced came from the building with the sign which read _Honeydukes_ , with its windows proudly displaying an assortment of candies and other sweets. The chatter and laughter of the crowds in the street filled the air as they gazed in the windows, walked with bags in hand of various goods, and made plans of where to go to next. Various groups of children and teenagers stood throughout, their scarves and robes in different color schemes: red and gold, green and silver, yellow and black, and blue and bronze.

"Hogwarts students?" Tina looked over to Newt, who strolled beside her, his eyes wandering as much as hers at the scenery; it had been years since he had been anywhere near Hogsmeade, let alone walked the streets of it.

"Ah, yes. They're getting their long-awaited fill of chocolate and butterbeer." He smirked slightly, now also glancing at the students around them. A younger looking student, with a red and gold scarf wrapped around his neck and a pale blush on his cheeks, tripped as he exited one of the buildings, nearly face-planting on the pavement. A group of students behind him burst out laughing, before one of them stepped forward and began helping him back to his feet.

"And he just had his first."

Tina lightly laughed, politely covering her mouth as she watched the poor thing; the first time she tasted butterbeer, she tasted it many, many times—she didn't fall down in the doorway, but instead was carried through it. Fifteen-year-old Tina and alcohol were an unfortunate combination.

"Which house were you in?" She asked, finding the segregation of the houses rather interesting. The ones in yellow and black mixed a bit with the ones in red and gold, with a few in blue and bronze peppered in; the students in green and silver, however, seemed to keep entirely to their own.

"Hufflepuff."

"What's a Hufflepuff?"

"W-Well, we're a bit odd at times. I think we're charming people, though. We like food, and nature."

"I see." She smiled as she looked down at the brick beneath them.

"And what house do you think I'd be in?"

Newt paused and looked at her, grasping his chin and studying her face; she turned her head and raised a brow back at him, gazing into his eyes as he contemplated.

"I'd say Gryffindor. Perhaps Ravenclaw."

"What does Gryffindor mean?"

"He's one of yours." Newt nodded towards the boy who tripped in front of the pub, who now stood unsteadily amongst his friends. Tina playfully smacked his arm, and Newt shyly smirked as they continued down the street.

"You're in a lively mood today." She observed, unaccustomed to the lightness and ease with which Newt was speaking. He was typically a man of few words, and even fewer jokes.

"Well, I feel quite lucky, to be honest." He stopped to gaze curiously inside the dingy, encrusted window of a pub called _Hog's Head Inn_ , standing on the tip of his toes to try to take a look inside. A look of disappointment spread across his face as he searched the room, clearly unsuccessful in finding whatever, or whoever it was that he was hoping to.

"I expected to end up coming here alone."

Tina bit her lip and looked out into the crowds surrounding them. She hadn't expected to be here either. Although she hadn't completely forgiven Newt for what happened the day before, she didn't regret staying; and as they roamed the streets of this small picturesque village from his younger years, her worries were slowly disappearing.

"What are those?"

Newt turned his head and backed away from the window, and followed Tina's gaze to a group of children, each holding bright cards in their hands; a brown frog hopped from the group into the air and onto the ground, and one student awkwardly attempted to catch it before it hopped away from her grasp.

"I-I don't quite know." He answered with intrigue in his voice, never having seen the cards before; he looked away from the group to see another exiting Honeydukes a few cottages down, all with similar packages in their hands.

Tina followed as Newt walked towards the store, and they both looked into the window, in which stood a display of many boxes of purple and gold stacked upon one another.

"Chocolate frog…" He read aloud, and she couldn't help her amusement at the wonder in his eyes.

"Well, we certainly have to try them." He looked back at her, his azure eyes bright like a child in—well—a candy shop. She felt her heart melt at the sight, and she quickly nodded, unwittingly giving him a tender smile.

Odd and charming. If that's what a Hufflepuff is, a Hufflepuff Newt is indeed.

* * *

"Babayaga," Newt read his card as they walked through the gates of Hogsmeade and started down the winding country path, which led over the hills to Hogwarts. "Russian hag who dwelled in a hut that stood on giant chicken legs. Ate children for breakfast - and presumably for lunch and tea."

"That's gruesome!" Tina exclaimed, and took the card from his hands to read it. "Are they trying to give the children nightmares?"

"Oh, my mo—" He paused for a moment, but quickly recovered. "My mother used to tell me that story. She said she'd introduce us if I didn't brush my teeth."

"Well, you still have all of them, so I guess it worked." Tina smirked at him, and Newt returned with a shy smile. He wished he could properly express how grateful he was that she stayed—well, not that he had given her much of a choice—but also continued their adventure together, despite what a mess he had been. Her dulcet laughter was like medicine to the confliction he had been feeling the past days, and her warm brown eyes, as they glistened in the sunlight made him feel at home; he was beginning to realize that it could be not only a place, but a person.

She began opening her card, and gasped as the chocolate frog promptly leapt from the package, and away into the grass. She wasn't sure she could stomach eating a wiggling frog, made of chocolate or not, anyway.

"Newt—" She started, pausing as she read the card to herself.

"…Scamander."

He looked over at the card in her hands with a quizzical look on his face, placing his hand upon it as well to turn it towards him. There he was, standing clumsily in the frame, darting his eyes in various directions and shifting nervously with his novel in hand; even in that tiny image one could make out the details of his boyish freckles and bright, timid eyes.

"Celebrated author of 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'."

Tina abruptly looked up at him, and he read the words a few more times before meeting her eyes.

"Newt, you didn't tell me you're famous."

"I-I don't think I'm _famous_ ," He answered awkwardly, and looked away to the hills before them. "I wrote a book, that's all."

"I didn't realize I was traveling the world with a celebrity." She teased, and a light pink rose up in his cheeks.

"A wizard with his very own _Famous Witches and Wizards_ card."

"A-Alright, enough." He stuttered, unable to look in her direction because of his embarrassment. She playfully held his hand, which only made the nervousness worse for him; but after a few moments he slowly relaxed his hand around hers, and she gently smiled as they made their way down the path towards Hogwarts.

* * *

Tina's breath caught in her throat as the castle came directly into view beyond the towering metal gates in front of them, open wide as students walked through them in both directions; at each side of them were statues of winged boars with their eyes protectively staring forward, and just a few feet ahead to the left stood an older woman, dressed in long black robes, and her grey hair cropped just above her shoulders. The woman watched as the students walked in front of her, reminding them to "be responsible" and "remember that they are representing Hogwarts, and their houses" as they passed. Newt quietly led Tina to the right and through the gates, and waiting for a break in the crowd before he approached her.

"Professor Merrythought." Newt greeted her warmly, and her deep emerald eyes widened for a moment as they set on his face, but then quickly creased with delight.

"Newt Scamander!" She enthusiastically responded, and then gestured for the two to step out of the way of the path.

"What on earth are you doing here?" She spoke quieter now, still keeping her eyes on the students as they walked by.

"I'm here to visit an old friend." He responded cryptically, but the professor seemed to know exactly who he meant, judging by the small smirk that appeared on her face.

"Just happened to be in the neighborhood?"

"Well, Miss Goldstein and I—" He glanced over to Tina, who stood quietly beside him. "—have been traveling, and I figured we'd stop by."

"I knew I didn't recognize you—I hoped my memory wasn't going _just_ yet." Professor Merrythought joked as she examined Tina's features, causing her to subtly blush.

"Tina Goldstein." She extended her hand to the older woman with a polite, yet nervous smile.

"Ah, an American," Merrythought realized by her accent, and shook her hand. "Ilvermorny, isn't it?"

"Yes, ma'am." The professor nodded, and then turned back to Newt.

"Well, best be on your way. Try not to cause any trouble—as difficult as that seems to be for you at times, Mr. Scamander."

"O-Of course." He bowed slightly, and then the two of them began down the path towards the castle.

With awe Tina attempted to take in everything that appeared around them as they strolled; to the right stood a large stadium, which she assumed to be the Quidditch pitch (she would never admit it, but she had read about the school during the year she awaited Newt's return; it for some reason made her feel closer to him) and in the distance to the left was a dark, thick forest, with its trees expanding as far as she could see along the side of the property.

Newt began telling stories as they walked the grounds, tales from his years at Hogwarts; the time he had nearly died from injury when he attempted to follow a litter of Nifflers up the trunk of the Whomping Willow, his victories as a Chaser during his Quidditch days, his hours spent in the greenhouses studying herbology. Tina imagined the young, scrawny, soft-spoken Newt, even more clumsy and shy than the man who walked beside her, running around the school as an awkward schoolboy; she could see him with his creatures, which he snuck in past professors and into the dorms, studying them and getting to know them in the dark—to the annoyance of his roommates.

"The very first Bowtruckle I ever met was in Herbology, actually," Newt continued.

"My professor mistook it for a plant, you should have seen his face when she opened her eyes and chirped at him…"

His voice began to fade as Tina gazed towards the forest, and suddenly a black, waif-like, winged horse creature emerged from the trees; she felt a slight chill down her spine as it turned its head in their direction, with its icy eyes looking directly into hers. Her mouth opened slightly as it simply watched her, its stance neither threatening nor inviting; she stopped in her tracks and silently returned the unsettling beast's stare.

"Tina?" After a few paces he stopped as well, a puzzled look on his face as he glanced from her to the forest; nothing was to be seen but the grassland and then wall of trees.

The creature shyly began to inch towards her across the field, and let out a soft, high-pitched call like a lost, forlorn bird. She took in a sharp breath as it approached, and was able to begin making out the reptilian features of its face and the translucence of its skin. Its bones were entirely visible underneath and protruded against its flesh, as if it was made entirely of only skin and bone; it briefly flapped its wings, which were barren and leathery like a bat.

"What is that?" She asked under her breath, feeling more intrigued than intimidated; despite its eerie appearance, it seemed to be warming up to her, as much as she could tell from its pure white and emotionless eyes.

"W-What are you talking about?" He furrowed his brow at her, then took another glance at the forest. There wasn't anything there; his eyes roamed across the grass and the trees, but he found nothing.

She didn't hear his question as the creature was now only within a couple of feet of her, and it closed its eyes and bowed its head; with a trembling hand she reached out towards it, and lightly grazed the top with her fingers, feeling the paper-thin skin that covered it.

"The groundskeeper did an exceptional job with the landscaping this year, didn't he?" A calm, yet authoritative voice broke the focus of both of them; they both turned to face a tall, older man, with his wavy hair cascading on each side past his shoulders, his beard almost equally as long, and his kind eyes wrinkled with age. He wore a long, deep brown trench coat, with a burgundy scarf of a honeycomb pattern hanging from his neck.

A rare, genuine full smile spread across Newt's face as he looked up at the man; his eyes wandered past the two of them over the field, before they landed on Newt.

"Professor Dumbledore," Newt started. "We were just on our way to the castle, I was hoping to introduce you to Miss Goldstein."

"Albus Dumbledore." He turned to Tina. "Professor of Transfiguration here at Hogwarts."

Tina introduced herself graciously, for what felt like the tenth time since she stepped off the ship in England—Newt really did seem famous, regardless of whether he thought he was or not. As much as she was enjoying their travels so far, she wasn't used to feeling so foreign; but to be fair, besides when she attended Ilvermorny, she had never travelled more than some twenty or thirty miles outside of New York City ever in her life.

"I don't know about you, but my favorite way to pass the time does not consist of standing in the cold and staring at grass. Shall we go inside?" The professor suggested.

Newt and Tina both appreciatively followed him towards the castle.

* * *

Tina stared into the mirror, her doe-like brown eyes in the reflection gazing back at her; as much as she tried to ignore it, the lifeless white eyes of the creature by the forest kept flashing in her mind. How could Newt not have seen it? She imagined it's dragon-like face, gaunt and slightly alarming, and its thin body that was made up almost entirely of skeleton; yet its demeanor was non-threatening, and it approached her almost like a puppy—well, not quite, but with much more warmth than one would expect a creature like that to have.

As she began to remove her jacket and slide it off of her arm, she heard a gentle thud on the floor; she looked over to find a purple and gold package, which upon it was elegantly printed _Chocolate Frog_.

"Oh!" She said aloud, and quickly snatched it from the ground; she had completely forgotten they had one more to try. She finished removing her jacket before she left the lavatory and headed back to Dumbledore's office.

She smiled, looking down at the box in her hands as she walked down the corridor towards the sliver of glowing light that shined out into the hallway. Given his excitement earlier that day, she could only imagine how he would react to find out they had one more to open.

"…This is all I have left." Newt said weakly, and his voice gently carried through the opening in the door; she stopped, and stood perfectly still as she listened.

"Newt…" Dumbledore calmly replied.

"I-I just can't stand knowing that she—"

"I don't have many favors left with the Ministry, as you know. I take it you have tried—"

"T-They won't listen to me… I'm an author, n-not a—"

"I'll see what I can do. Please understand, I cannot make any promises."

Tina put the box back in her pocket and stepped towards the door. She squinted her eyes to peer inside the office; there stood Newt in front of Dumbledore's desk, the chair of which the professor himself was sitting in. Between them was a small package, wrapped in brown paper and tied with string; he slowly pulled it across the desk towards him, just as he met Tina's eyes.

Dumbledore's eyes quickly darted in another direction, apparently to not alert Newt to her presence; he didn't even notice, but still stood in front of the desk, his hands now in the pockets of his jacket and his eyes down to the floor.

"Thank you, Professor. I… I can't let her die there."

He pursed his lips, and nodded as he looked down at the package in his lap.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hi everyone! I'm so excited to be bringing in this next phase of their travels- Hogwarts! Things are going to get pretty intense from here, so I hope this chapter held your interest. Thank you SO much for reading, and please let me know what you think! :)


	6. Exposure

An anxious Newt and quiet Tina joined Dumbledore in the Great Hall for dinner, and sat at the High Table beside him as his guests; she couldn't help but gaze up with wonder at the ceiling above them, which was covered with what seemed like an endless, velvet black sky, the stars like microscopic shards of diamond, and the luminous moon large and romantic. Newt had a nagging feeling she overheard his conversation with Dumbledore, and felt a pit of guilt in his stomach; he knew that he had to tell her. The next obstacle was figuring out how, where, and when. There was never an ideal time for these kind of conversations—not that there was an ideal time for any conversation really, for Newt at least.

"So what do you think of Hogwarts, Miss Goldstein?" Dumbledore asked between bites of the dinner, which consisted of sumptuous roasted duck with mashed potatoes and gravy. She broke away from her trance and looked over to the professor, realizing how rudely silent she had been most of the evening.

"Oh, it's wonderful. It's definitely a lot different than what I'm used to at Ilvermorny. I must say, before tonight, I'd never walked out of a room to realize a staircase had completely disappeared before."

He briefly smirked in response.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it. Please, call me Albus," He started, before setting his silverware down on the table. "I never had the honor of being your professor."

She laughed, and looked throughout the room of tables in front of them, rows perfectly arranged of each house's colors; her eyes stopped at the table of students dressed in yellow and black, and could almost picture a young Newt at the end, his face deep in his notes of various magical creatures.

"I was rather lucky to have Newt as a student, though," Dumbledore glanced over at him, who responded with only a soft blush on his cheeks.

"His book has officially been accepted as a textbook here at Hogwarts. Students will be learning much about magical creatures through his work."

Tina then looked over to Newt as well. He shyly kept his eyes on the plate in front of him, too awkward and humble to find any words to say. As frustrated as she was at his seemingly constant secret-keeping, she couldn't help the tinge of excitement for him she felt within her chest—as well as the disappointment that he never gave himself enough credit. The man who sat beside her was brilliant, accomplished, and so much more than he realized; she wished she could only make him see that.

But she also wished he would stop shutting her out.

"That's amazing. Congratulations, Newt." She responded warmly, but with a bit less enthusiasm than she hoped she would convey; her tone seemed to only make Newt even more nervous, as he cleared his throat and pushed his chair back away from the table.

"E-Excuse me." He stood up from the table, removing the serviette from his lap and placing it beside his plate. He clumsily walked away from the table and down the hall, keeping to the right, before he stepped through the doors at the far end.

A few silent moments passed between Dumbledore and Tina, he taking his fork in hand once more and continuing to eat, and she speechlessly watching as he left, his figure eventually disappearing in the distance beyond the dining hall.

"Young love," He began, before taking the last bite of the dinner. "The stuff of dreams, yet also nightmares."

Tina watched the empty entrance of the hall for another minute, before finally turning to Dumbledore.

"I know better than to ask what your conversation was about. But there is something I'd like to ask you."

He dabbed his lips with his serviette, looking down at his plate, before putting it back down in his lap and then turning his head to her.

"Outside, on our way to the castle… I-I saw a creature," She started, an uncertainty in her voice, afraid of the absurdity of her story. However, Tina for some reason felt that if anyone knew what had happened, it would be this professor; something about him seemed unusually wise and trustworthy.

"It was some type of horse… or reptile… or bat…

I don't know what it was. It was completely black, and had piercing, unsettling white eyes.

I haven't seen anything like it in my life. I felt… cold when it was near me."

Her eyes were now cast down to the table, as she imagined it perfectly in her mind; she could hear it's soft, otherworldly call in the air, as it slowly walked across the field towards her.

"The strangest thing was… that Newt couldn't see it. There it was, in front of me. I could see it, hear it, feel it. But he had no idea what I was talking about.

Do you know what it was? Did I just imagine it?"

Dumbledore's eyes fell, and he looked away as he seemed to contemplate exactly what it was he wanted to say.

"It was not your imagination, Miss Goldstein." He calmly responded.

"What you saw is called a Thestral. You have witnessed what most have not had the misfortune of witnessing. Only those who have seen mortality at its worst hour meet them."

She bit her lip, and again looked forward across the hall; students were now beginning to finish their dinner and exit the room, creating a calm quiet in the atmosphere.

"I'm not one to intrude in personal affairs, but I feel rather caught in the middle at the moment, so I must say that I have noticed the tension between you. I do not blame you, Miss Goldstein, for the way you are feeling.

However, I must also say—and I apologize if I am mistaken, but you, as well, have walls that have yet to fall down."

Dumbledore's words stung, but she could not bring herself to even attempt to deny them. He now backed away from the table, and slowly stood up as he cleared his throat. With a warm look in his eyes he looked down at her, and she looked up to meet his gaze.

"Have you seen the greenhouses yet, Miss Goldstein?" He started, as he began to walk around her from behind to the edge of the High Table.

"I-I haven't." She answered awkwardly, puzzled at the sudden change of subject.

"I would suggest doing so before you leave; they're quite _fantastic_." He suggested, before politely nodding at her, and making his way down the hall to the doors.

Her brow furrowed as she watched him walk away, but it only took her a moment to figure it out.

 _Fantastic._ Dumbledore may have been an extremely wise and trustworthy professor, but he apparently was also a professor of terrible puns.

* * *

Tina eventually found her way to the greenhouses, mostly by awkwardly asking random students in the hallway, but also by attempting to remember the map of Hogwarts she had seen in her readings. As she opened the door the scent of fresh dirt and plant life filled her senses, and she felt the crunch of withered leaves beneath her feet. Streaks of moonlight shined through the large panes of glass that made up the entirety of the house walls, illuminating the plants on the wooden tables and lining each side.

"N-Newt?" She called out into the air, but received no response. She carefully stepped forward, and curiously gazed at the plants around her, which brought her back to her own school years at Ilvermorny; she admired a towering Shrivelfig plant, its purple, eggplant-like flowers in full bloom upon its branches, a pot of Gillyweed growing in the light, as well as what appeared to be a few pots of Mandrakes, of which she could still hear the shrieks and cries from her first year Herbology class.

She paused, and slowly reached down to touch the long, slender leaves of a young Asphodel plant; small, delicate lilies were only beginning to grow from its branches, and she softly held one between two fingers as she admired it.

"I was nine years old when I was taken away from my mum."

Tina abruptly turned her head to meet Newt's bright eyes, glowing in the moonlight that shone through the windows, and glistening with sadness as he watched her. She silently straightened and turned to face him, and he cleared his throat and looked down at the ground, before continuing to speak.

"M-My father had already passed years before, so she had been working two jobs for a long time to support my brother and I—she uhm, she bred hippogriffs, like I told you, and was a barmaid some nights as well. One night when she was at the pub, a man came and tried to steal one of the hippogriffs…"

She could hear a quiver in his voice, and she instinctually reached out and took his hand; without hesitation this time, he interlaced his fingers with hers and held it with a hint of strength he never had before. Tina supportively caressed his hand with her thumb, urging him to continue.

"Theseus and I heard the noise from upstairs, so we ran outside to the stables. One of the hippogriffs was attacking him, so I tried to calm her down while Theseus chased the man away… I was caught in the middle of the attack, and badly injured by her. I had to spend several nights at St. Mungo's.

I never got to go home after that—well, not for another year, at least. The Ministry deemed my mother unfit to care for me, since we were unable to prove the attack was provoked by an intruder. They sent me to an orphanage, and Theseus to our aunts' home in Liverpool… a-and they put… the hippogriff down."

She could see that the fate of the hippogriff hurt him more than anything, and her chest ached as she saw the pain in his eyes; she gripped his hand tighter, finally beginning to understand why he had been so mysterious and impulsive. Who would want to relive those memories?

"Was it Autumn?" She asked, remembering the distance in his eyes as they walked past the abandoned stables of his childhood home; _This is where I met the first love of my life,_ he said, as they both gazed into the emptiness.

"Y-Yes." He answered quietly, and he felt a dull sting in his heart at the sound of her name; but he couldn't help feeling touched by the fact Tina remembered. Newt wasn't used to anyone caring much about most of the things he said, let alone when he went on tangents about his creatures.

"So, when I finally came home," He started, clearing his throat as he continued, "I came home to a… very different mother. S-She was fragile, nervous, always on edge… she had become a recluse, and sold all of the remaining hippogriffs on the farm, feeling constant guilt over what happened.

I-I tried to help her. I tried to tell her it wasn't her fault, that I was alright.

One night, after my…" He paused, feeling a bit of embarrassment, "…expulsion from Hogwarts, I was just beginning my job at the Ministry, and she was back at the pub, working a couple of nights a week. I thought she was getting better, I thought if she was out in the world and with people again, it would help her.

But she had a… breakdown. From what I've been told, she just… became hysterical, screaming at a not particularly polite customer… but she wouldn't calm down. She was throwing glasses and bottles, crying, yelling… and eventually, she was taken away to St. Mungo's."

Newt's eyes were now completely glazed over, tears pooling at the waterline.

"I hope that if I can prove someone was there that night, that I wasn't just randomly attacked, I can find a way to bring her home. She's been there for over ten years, thinking all of this was her fault…"

A single tear finally broke through and painted a damp line down his cheek, which he quickly smeared away as he looked to his right, out through the large greenhouse windows.

"It wasn't her fault. None of this was."

Tina let go of his hand and raised it to affectionately cup his cheek, her fingers resting gently below his jawline; his eyes snapped to meet hers, wide and inviting with their warm shades of brown.

"It's not yours, either. I hope you know that."

His composure broke at her words, and he abruptly pulled her to him; she gasped as she crashed into his body, feeling his arms tightly wrapped around her. She slid her hands up his back and held him as well, and rested her head against his chest as she felt him struggling not to break. Instead he stared straight at the door behind her, biting his lip as his mind raced with all of the memories he had finally told someone else; for years he had kept it inside, focusing on his work with creatures and writing his novel—but now he didn't have that distraction.

What he did have, however, was someone he now… _trusted_. Someone who was capable of breaking down his walls, someone who could see deeper inside of him than most others ever could.

That was almost equally as terrifying.

* * *

The students were now in their dormitories, and the hallways were dark and empty; both Newt and Tina were silent as they walked towards one of the professor's offices, who according to Dumbledore was away on vacation for the week. As they opened the door, they were greeted by a room with walls lined with various potions on its shelves, and a small desk, with a bed to the far left. As Newt shut the door behind her, she gazed up at all of the bottles on the shelves; _Felix felicis, Veritaserum, Wolfsbane_ … She read, once again taking her back to her school days at Ilvermorny, filled with pranks using Confusing Concoction and Amortentia, and as one of her classmates learned the hard way, when combined _literally_ made you love-sick.

Newt immediately collapsed on the bed and closed his eyes, feeling as if he was almost melting into the mattress; Tina gazed out of the sole window in the room, as a slow drizzle began to fall from the sky, the raindrops gently tapping at the glass. Everything within her view outside was almost entirely cloaked in darkness, besides the dim yellow glow from the windows in other parts of the castle.

"Thank you for… for telling me everything tonight. I know that was difficult for you. But it means a lot to me." She said shyly, now turning away from the window and looking at Newt, who was across the room on the bed.

"Thank you for not running away and taking the next train home. I know I would have." He opened his eyes to look at her with a tired smile, and she returned it, as she began walking towards the bed.

She removed her jacket, and once again fell out the Chocolate Frog package, and with a soft bounce it landed on the bed. Newt sat up and curiously picked it up, examining the box of purple and gold.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you, I bought an extra one in Hogsmeade." She said excitedly, and sat on the bed next to him. Tina nodded at him to begin opening it, and as the frog once again hopped away, Newt began to read the card aloud.

"Chauncey Oldridge. First known victim of Dragon Pox." Her heart dropped as the disease slipped from his lips, and she immediately looked down at the mattress, reminded of her own haunting past. After examining the card for a moment, he looked over to Tina, and furrowed his brow at her sudden change in mood.

"I-Is everything…" Newt then remembered when they first met, and Queenie mentioned the fate of their parents in the kitchen of the apartment; he put the card down and lightly touched her hand.

 _I apologize if I am mistaken, but you, as well, have walls that have yet to fall down._ Dumbledore's words rang in Tina's ears, and she looked up to meet Newt's sympathetic expression. She forced a weak smile as she looked directly in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I think we both need some rest. It's been a really long day."

Newt nodded, and silently moved over in the bed to give her room; she slowly laid down beside him, with her back to his chest. He draped one arm around her, and she grasped his hand which hovered just above her chest. As she again gazed out of the window across the room, she saw two pale white eyes appear; they remained there, unmoving for a minute or two as she nervously, yet curiously watched. When it disappeared, she brought Newt's hand closer, holding it at the curve of her collarbone until she fell asleep.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hey everyone! So… finally some answers! Yay! I want to thank everyone so much for the feedback, it keeps me motivated, and it makes me so happy know people are enjoying the story. I've caught a nasty cold so it took me longer than I originally planned to update, so thanks for your patience! This was one of my favorite chapters to write so far (So much angst! So much Dumbledore!) so I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think! :)


	7. Bravery

Tina woke to an empty bed, a cold emptiness beside her; she hazily turned over to see only the brick wall, and as her sight adjusted and she looked around the office, she realized Newt was nowhere to be found at all. She rubbed her eyes as she slowly sat up, and then gazed across the room to the window, through which the sun now streaked in with a piercing brightness. She stood up and walked over to it, curiously watching the students outside who were spread out throughout the grounds; some in groups, chatting and laughing enthusiastically with their friends, some with their books in hand and an anxious expression on their face as they hurriedly made their way to class, and others simply seeming to enjoy the beautiful day, which was especially warm for it being the beginning of autumn, and sitting in the grass as they admired everything around them. What Tina would give to simply be a student again—her only worries being passing the OWLs and NEWTs, who was going to take her to the Yule Ball, and if Thunderbird was going to win the House Cup that year.

She tugged at her blouse and jacket, attempting to straighten out the clothes she slept in before exiting the office, and was greeted by the bustling hallway; she quickly moved to the side as to not be crushed by the crowds, instantly reminded of how chaotic a school of children could be. After a few moments, she was able to find a break between students, and nervously joined the flow of them down the hallway; she eventually spotted a courtyard, which featured a large, ornate fountain at its center, and stepped away from the crowd to the pavement below. She took a deep breath of relief to have escaped; and she thought downtown New York was stressful.

As she sat down on the edge of the fountain, she reached into the pocket of her jacket and took out another candy she had bought the previous day in Hogsmeade; _Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans_ the package read, and through the plastic could be seen jellybeans of various shades of every color, some with multiple. She opened the box and ate one, and immediately grimaced as a horrid taste filled her mouth. She set the box down and spit the bean out onto the pavement; a student beside her began to laugh, and she turned to see a girl in robes of blue and bronze, her bushy light brown hair cropped at her shoulders.

"Was it vomit or earwax?" The girl was attempting to stifle her laughter.

"I-I believe it was… soap," Tina answered, rubbing her tongue on the roof of her mouth to try and dissolve the taste.

"Wait, did you just say vomit? And earwax?"

"I take it you've never tried those before." She laughed again. "They come in every flavor imaginable. And I mean _every_."

Tina had officially lost her appetite.

"So are you the new Potions professor?"

"Oh, no. I'm just visiting with a friend." Tina shook her head, and suddenly remembered she hadn't a clue where that _friend_ had disappeared to. The student seemed disappointed, as she twisted her mouth to the side and looked down at the brick beneath them.

"That's a shame. I was hoping Professor Lestrange was finally leaving."

 _Lestrange._ Tina's mind went back to the conversation in Newt's suitcase, what Queenie told her she saw in his thoughts, and she felt a flip in the pit of her stomach. Maybe Lestrange was just a common British surname.

"You don't like him?" Tina asked, hopeful it was a coincidence.

"Her. And no, I don't. Nobody does really, besides Slytherins."

Tina now looked down as well, attempting to silence the voice in her mind that was once again loud and clear. _Well isn't that wonderful. How much are you going to put up with?_ She closed her eyes. _Don't be ridiculous,_ she countered. _You just learned that his mother is in a mental ward; you can't handle an ex-girlfriend?_

"There you are!"

Newt's voice broke her thoughts, and as she opened her eyes there he stood by one of the entrances to the courtyard; she blinked, and stood up with curiosity at the excitement in his expression as her worries about Leta Lestrange faded away.

"Good morning, Newt." She greeted as a feeling of relief washed over her, and she walked over to him.

"I-I have a surprise… for you." He said shyly, yet playfully, and reached his hand out towards her. Tina looked from his small, boyish simper to his open hand, and slowly slid her hand into its hold; she raised a brow, looking into his eyes with suspicion.

"What kind of surprise?"

He chose not to answer but instead simply turned away to step back up into the hallway, and with her hand in his he led her to Dumbledore's office.

* * *

Dumbledore opened the door almost immediately after Newt knocked, and he hurriedly ushered the two of them inside the office. With equal haste he closed it behind them, and began gathering papers from his desk into a pile, before picking it up and clumsily clutching it to his chest.

"I trust you will be _responsible_ with this, Newt?"

"Y-Yes, of course." He stepped out of Dumbledore's way as the professor headed towards the door. He then turned to Tina and briefly nodded.

"Good morning, Miss Goldstein. Please excuse my rudeness; I am a bit behind schedule today, and my first years tend to think if I don't arrive within the first five minutes that class is cancelled."

"Good morning, Albus." Tina flashed a polite smile, and with that Dumbledore was gone.

She turned to Newt, who stood against the desk with his hands planted on each side of him. Tina looked around the office; nothing stood out to her nor appeared particularly "surprise"-worthy, despite the eager expression which was still spread across Newt's face. Her brow furrowed, examining the room once again.

"So, uhm, what is…?" Tina was trying her hardest not to offend him, but she hadn't the slightest idea what was so exciting.

Newt turned and walked over to a chair, and picked up a rather large, weathered, and dingy brown hat; he held it with both hands in front of her, and as she looked it over she still felt incredibly confused. The hat was clearly ancient, held together by patches and other stitches throughout, all of its edges frayed, and stained in different shades from wear.

"You were curious which house you'd be in," He started, and he now looked down at the hat in his hands. "So I thought, why not just have you sorted."

A gentle laugh escaped her lips; leave it to Newt to remember an inconsequential conversation like that. She sat down in one of the chairs which stood by the door.

"But this has… what to do with that?" She didn't remember an unfortunate looking hat being a part of her Hogwarts-related readings.

He answered her question by leaning forward and placing the hat on top of her head; she jumped once she felt it begin to move, and gazed up anxiously when it began to speak.

"Is it that time again already?" It squinted tiredly, and dramatically yawned.

"No, not yet," Newt answered. "But would you do me a favor, if it won't be too much trouble, and sort one more student?"

"Who is asking?"

"Newt Scamander."

"Ahh, Scamander, I remember you… you were a bit of a difficult one… so much potential, quite a lot of courage, cunning as well… but a Hufflepuff at heart."

Newt curiously watched as the hat began to dig inside the mind and heart of Tina; it seemed conflicted as it read her, waiting several moments to speak.

"Hmm, another complicated one. A brilliant mind, and _very_ ambitious… but above all, I must say…"

It paused as it thought about its final decision, and Newt raised his eyebrows at Tina.

"Gryffindor!" The sorting hat proudly declared.

"See? I knew it." Newt took the hat from her head, and she stood up as he placed it back on the chair.

"Thank you." He said as he looked down at it, and the hat tiredly nodded.

"May I go back to sleep now?" It grumbled.

"Yes."

She laughed as she looked down at the old thing, then looked back to Newt.

"So, what does Gryffindor mean?"

"W-Well, they can be a bit obnoxious… They tend to be rather reckless, as well."

"Newt!"

He chuckled, and then met Tina's gaze with a cheerful smile.

"But… They are also very brave. They always stand up for what they believe in, and in my experience, are the most loyal of any person that one will ever meet."

Her features softened, and she felt a subtle heat in her cheeks as he reached over to hold her hand. He then leaned forward and pressed his lips delicately to her forehead; she closed her eyes as he lingered for a moment, before slowly pulling away.

"Well, I promised Dumbledore I would assist their new Care of Magical Creatures professor on his Occamy lecture today. Apparently he's never seen one. Odd decision of them to hire him, in my opinion."

"Why don't you tea—" She stopped herself midsentence, remembering who else happened to be a professor there. _Let's not._

Newt looked at her curiously, almost inquiring of what she was about to say, but quickly moved on.

"So, I'm going to have to leave you on your own for a couple of hours—"

"Newt, I'm not a toddler. I'll be fine."

He smirked, and put his hands in his pockets.

"Okay." He breathed, his features once again bright with excitement; he was about to talk about one of his favorite beasts, for _two whole hours_ … and they had no choice but to listen. What could possibly be better?

"Have fun." She said playfully, and he nodded to her with a mixture of excitement and nervousness in his eyes, then walked out the door.

* * *

Tina spent a good portion of the day in the library, taking the free time she hadn't had in years to simply relax and read a story; she couldn't remember the last time she simply escaped, unaware of the time that passed as she flipped the pages, engulfed entirely by characters and their adventures. It had probably been before their parents passed, before she was suddenly thrust into the role of the provider and had to focus only on her and her sister's survival; she never had much free time at all then, let alone for pure leisure. But that afternoon and into the early evening, she curled up at one of the desks and allowed the novel to take her away; as the sun's rays that shined through the windows slowly transformed into a soft glow on the horizon, she focused solely on herself.

She woke to the feeling of her shoulder being shaken, and she abruptly looked up to see Newt standing above her; the library was now lit only by candles throughout the room, and pale moonlight had replaced the orange glow of the sun.

"Oh wow, I must have fallen asleep—"

Newt picked up the book from her lap and set it on one of the nearby tables.

"I apologize for taking so long. The professor needed a lot more help than Dumbledore let on."

She slowly began to stand, and he helped her up as she attempted to regain her equilibrium.

"W-Would you like to take a walk?" He asked clumsily, and she rubbed her eyes before looking up at him.

"It's still quite lovely outside. I could show you more of the grounds, too."

"Sure." She smiled coyly, and they both made their way out of the library.

* * *

They walked the grounds of the school, her hand in his as they roamed in whatever direction the gentle breeze took them; they felt no need to speak, but simply enjoyed the tranquil quiet of the night and the company of each other. The Hogwarts sky was even more brilliant than its Great Hall cousin, the ink-black elegant and rich, the stars specks of light artistically painted across the vastness as if by the skilled hand of a love-struck artist. The chirps and hums of various creatures could be heard across the grassland and in the distance from the forest; she felt enchanted by the song of nature, one which she rarely had the chance to hear in the industrialized metropolis of New York.

As they rounded a corner of the castle, numerous voices began to enter the air; the sound of laughter, of yelling, and other nonsensical inebriated chatter. Tina looked over to Newt with a puzzled look, and Newt returned it with equal confusion. As they continued in the direction of the voices, they reached the enormous lake which spread out at the rear of the castle; what also appeared before them was a large, chaotic group of students, swimming in the lake and running around in their undergarments, who clearly snuck out of their dorms for a late-night excursion. Piles of clothes were strewn about the lawn, and among them sat other students around small fires, chatting and sharing what seemed to be smuggled flasks of firewhisky.

"D-Don't they know what kind of creatures live in there?" Newt asked aloud as he watched them play in and around the lake, his mind racing with all of the species he had found many years ago.

"Something tells me that they aren't too concerned." She replied lightheartedly, and she began walking towards the lake, some distance away from the students. Her eyes examined the scenery out across the waters, watching the moonlight dance on its small waves; she didn't find it particularly threatening either.

Newt walked up beside her, feeling nervous by being so much as within the near vicinity of the students; what would they think if he was found here? He had already been expelled as a student—he didn't need to be completely _banned_ from the property altogether. He looked down to see Tina fumbling with her shirt, untucking it from her pants before she began unbuttoning it.

"Tina—w-what, what are you—"

She looked over to him, an unfamiliar mischievous smile across her lips; his face instantly turned an unnatural shade of scarlet as the edges of her brazier began to show, and her blouse began to slip from her shoulders.

"We're on an adventure, right? Isn't that the point of all of this?"

"T-This…" He found it extremely difficult to form anything coherent as it fell completely from her body, and she promptly worked on unbuttoning her pants. "This isn't quite what I had in mind—"

"Well, I'm going in." She said matter-of-factly, and nonchalantly pulled her bottoms down and stepped out of them, then tossed both those and her shirt off to the side. He watched speechlessly as the silhouette of her slender frame stepped into the water, and then abruptly lunged in, going completely under.

Her head eventually surfaced, and she spat out some of the water as she slicked her wet hair back away from her face. She still had the same impish smirk as she turned to look at Newt, who still stood at the edge, completely frozen by the mixture of awe, nervousness, and fear pounding in his chest.

"Come in, Newt. It's fine."

"T-There's a rather large squid in there, you know. It's massive, actually. I've never even seen the entire beast myself, but I can only imagine—"

"Newt."

She was now halfway above the water, and her hands on her hips as she stared at him; he cleared his throat as he did everything he could to maintain direct eye contact, and not allow them to roam elsewhere. She may have still had her undergarments on, but there was plenty of Tina to be seen that he hadn't before.

"Suit yourself." She turned around and lunged back into the water, once again disappearing beneath the surface.

He bit his lip, and before he could overthink it any longer he was throwing his jacket to the ground and unbuttoning his vest; Tina popped up from the water just as he was pulling his shirt up over his head, and she now was the one blushing, as she shyly took in the sight of his bare chest and abdomen. She eventually looked up, only to meet Newt's even further embarrassed expression.

"Oh! I'm sorry." She quickly turned around, her cheeks now nearly as red as his; she quietly looked up at the moon as she waited, and within a few minutes she heard a splash behind her. Soon after came a sigh, and then there he was beside her, with not the most enthused look upon his face, but not one of regret either.

"Happy?" He asked, his body shivering subtly from the change in temperature; she turned towards him and clutched his arms, her eyes wide with concern.

"Newt! That's why you're supposed to just jump in!"

As he felt her delicate fingertips on his skin, his attention instinctively began to travel; beginning with her sleek dark hair that clung to the edges of her face, accentuating her elegant cheekbones, then her doe-like hickory eyes, the warm brown tones deepened in the night, to the tempting pout of her small lips, which he had been craving since that night in Pitlochry. The alluring scent of her perfume mixed with earth emanated from her, intoxicating him as it filled his senses. He bit his lip, conflicted by the anxiety and temptation knotting in his stomach.

She took in a deep breath, feeling his heavy gaze upon her and a gentle flutter in her stomach at the sudden intimacy between them; her eyes drifted up from his chest, to his collarbone and strong shoulders, along his jawline to finally his bright, fascinated eyes, an intensity within them she hadn't expected. Tina froze, the grasp on his arms weakening as she watched the way his eyes burned as they explored her; her initial instinct was to cover up, feeling an insecurity nag in the back of her mind, but this felt… sensual. And it had been a _long_ time she had that feeling.

They eagerly collided, desperate hands finding any spot of skin they could as their mouths clumsily, passionately explored each other's. Tina placed her hands on his chest as he reached up and intertwined his fingers in her damp hair, cradling her head as he wrapped the other arm around her waist. They weren't sure how many minutes passed, nor how many students saw; but they felt no need to rush the moment as they for the first time simply enjoyed each other, not only physically but on a level they hadn't reached before, now without the pressure of impending train rides home or the tragedy of a revealed past.

Tina was the first to break away, and she breathlessly rested her forehead against his bare chest; he then wrapped both arms around her, and held her as attempted to calm himself. He rested his chin on the top of her head and closed his eyes, no longer bothered by the chill in the air or the risk of being caught. They were the very last things on his mind.

"I wasn't lying about the squid."

However, creatures always were.

"There's a lot of merpeople living in here, too. They can be rather territorial."

Tina raised her head and looked at him, her brow furrowed as he looked out across the waters.

" _Really?_ "

"Yes, I'm being completely serious. I—"

A splash of water crashed into his stomach and chest, and as his eyes snapped to her a grin spread across his face; she braced herself as he wound back a bit and splashed her in return, and they both began shoving the water at each other, moving around as they attempted to dodge it and laughing loudly into the air, as any remaining tension completely washed away. Tina then ran forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, crashing her lips into his, and he held her up and against his body as they kissed.

They played well into the night, and Newt especially felt more uninhibited than he had possibly ever in his life; the past couple of days had opened him up more than the past thirty years had managed to. They laughed, they kissed, they felt, and might have even taken up the students on one or… five of their offers of firewhisky; they sat among the small fires with them, Newt sharing stories of his days at Hogwarts and Tina telling them all about Ilvermorny. It wasn't until the sun began to rise on the horizon that they left, running among the rebel students towards the castle, with their clothes in hand and a newfound freedom coursing through their veins.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hello! So this one was a bit more... racy. Lol. Of course nothing will be even remotely explicit in this story since it is rated T, so don't worry if you aren't comfortable with that kind of thing! (But if you are… I do have a rated M Newtina story, One More Night, that you could read if that tickles your fancy. :P)

Anyway, I felt like they needed to finally make some deeper connection, especially after what happened in the last chapter—I love writing the dynamic of them each forcing each other to grow. (I must admit, I _have_ been picking on poor Newt so far, but that is going to change.)

As always, thank you to all of the amazing readers, followers, reviewers—you all are so wonderful! I can't express how thankful I am for all of the feedback and support. Please lend me your thoughts on this chapter, and thank you for reading! :)


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